122 Ruthies California Relatives

Cliff and Gladys Ruthies
Grandparents on her
Mothers side!

Evidently Cliff and I both liked plaid.

 

Feb 6, 2015
     Some negativity on the ranch this week made me look forward to the upcoming weekend. 
      Ruthie's relatives had heard we were in the state and extended an invitation for a reunion in Auburn CA. Ruthie's California relatives, we haven't discussed them yet, have we. When Ruthie and I were dating (Just relax, I will shorten it some) my trips to visit her on her family farm were always memorable.  Not only did I get to see her, the atmosphere in her home was fun, joking, music, singing and warmth.  I will preface this by saying we all have a Sunday face when company is present and at that time I think I was still considered a visitor.  Every visit I would return to my farm home with my cheeks just aching from laughing. My home was not known for laughter and I credit Ruthie and her influence on my family for bringing laughter and expressions of love to it.  So what was the source of this attitude.  I'm going out on a limb and give Grandpa Cliff the credit.   With his start in life it is no less than a miracle that he would be so remembered. 

     He and his brother Walter were born into a large family in Rice county Minnesota, then placed in the Minnesota State Public School in Owatonna 

Sisters Mary and Clara were put
On a train bound for the orphanage
Enough to break your heart, isn't it?

Minnesota. The story I have heard is that their last name was changed to disassociate them from their family. There is now a museum on the site that relates some of the reports of abuse and neglect from unloving matrons. The indenture of children to farm families to be used as labor and treated like slaves. From 1886 - 1945 nearly 11,000 orphaned , abused or abandoned children came here, they became wards of the state and as some parents trying to regain custody of their own children found out they had signed away all rights to their children. At least 198 children died there and were laid to rest in the Children's Cemetery 151 were buried with only an identification number etched on a slab of concrete. Never adopted they lived there until the age of release. With a start in life like that it is encouraging to hear of people like Cliff and Walter that not only overcome a rocky start in life. But went on to start future generations with strong family ties.      I would hear tidbits of information about her relatives in California. Seemed like a world away at that time. From time to time a few of them a few of them would return to Minnesota to visit for a week or two. To this lad they seemed wonderful, warm, caring people, full of humorous stories, music and singing. I think I thought they must be rich as on one trip Uncle Wally and Aunt Dottie brought a small TV and gave to Ruthies family. ( They didn't have one as there was to much farm work to do and of course all the evil things on television). Seriously in those days who has so much money they could just give a TV away, as a lot of the farm families didn't even have one yet.   It seemed like a lavish gift to me. It was set up on a table in the living room and with rabbit ear antennae (sometimes enhanced by adorning the "ears" with aluminum foil placed strategically to bring in weak stations.) brought packaged entertainment to their world. We always looked forward to their visits, always to short.   This is the way I remember Cliff,  his face weathered from years in the outdoors, eyes squinting thru small slits and the warmest smile I have ever seen.  It seemed to me that the smile was always there but then there was an extra joyous smile he would give you that stretched his weathered face even more and almost caused his eyes to close.  I wish I could spend some time with him again, would love to hear his story in his words.   He radiated joy as he recited humorous little rhymes and songs. When present his children would join in and soon the room would be filled with music as they added songs and memories of their own.   A little reflection.  I wonder how we will be remembered?  Makes you think doesn't
it?  

If you look real close I think those are the Sierra's on the left.

     So how did this happen that the majority of Ruthie's Mothers family migrated to California. Well it didn't happen all at once. It looks like Brothers Dale and Norm got it started with Military careers on the west coast. Dale returned to Minnesota with his California bride. Probably not a good idea as Ellen soon decided she didn't sign up for frostbite and around 1948 they moved back to the Almeida area of California. Followed soon by an adventures Aunt Dottie.   Cliff retired around 1954 from working for the city of Rochester. With promise of family, mild winters and Disneyland (I apologize, I don't even know when Disneyland came to be) the rest of the family packed for a move. It would be nice to really know the details but from what I've been able to gather the exit from Rochester Minnesota had a major bump. Uncle Darrel and Aunt Eleanor lived in a mobile home in Silver lake Trailer park. The trailer was hooked to Grandpa's car and loaded with all their belongings. With Darrel, Elly and baby Cindy following they headed for the promised land. With the lights of Rochester not very distant in their rear view mirror the lead wagon with Grandpa, Grandma and 15 year old Aunt Ruthie (coincidence? I think not) slipped into a ditch and the trailer overturned. Nothings ever easy, is it? Imagine seeing this happen right in front of you. Darrell had to restrain Elly as she tried to check on her family, Fortunately no one was injured and like the Ingalls they persisted and soon the west coast was their home.    



Soon we had the Sierras on our right most of the day!  That cloud bank must have been the pineapple express on the other side

    So this brings us back to reality. The California clan was aware we were in the State, I would like to say in the area however California is so large you can be in the same state and still are long distance away. Aunt Ruthie had extended an invitation to visit them in Auburn California. She was getting as many of the California clan together. We received permission to leave our horse training duties early Friday morning Normally when going on a trip I listen politely to all the suggested routes then just key it into our trusty (only failed a couple of times, once a bike path) GPS. To me it looked like the fastest and most direct route was to take Interstate 5 up the West side of the Sierra Mountains. However Ruthie was getting a very detailed route from (no names as it is all hearsay, I didn't talk to them, this is Ruthies side of the story, she may have made it up) I was told there were heavy winds and rain projected, I believe they were calling it the Pineapple express (a kind of weather gift from Hawaii) for the West side of the Sierra Mountains and if we took 395 up the East side, turn by Reno Nevada and come over the mountain on Interstate 80 we could avoid the rainy area and arrive in Auburn. (a reasonable person may have had some thoughts like winter, sierra mountains, Donner pass, high winds). However reasonable has not been associated with me frequently). So away we went. It was a wonderful day for a ride leaving the ranch around 8 AM We headed up 395 on the east side of the Sierra's (like a lamb to the slaughter). After the beauty of the snow capped mountains the road caught our attention it seemed they had just followed the contour of the land so there were some wonderful moments as the trike rose and fell with the flow of the road. This was going to be a great day. Not so fast said the road block at Bishop CA, the patrolman there are two semi trucks overturned up the road by Mammoth Mountain and we don't want you to join them  80 MPH winds with gusts. We went into the service station purchased a map and got some advice from a friendly stranger. "Just take #6 to the North East catch #120 back West over the mountain and you will be right back on 395 above the danger area". This is going to be easy, and away rode the happy triker's. Auburn here we come. We figured with all the law enforcement attending to the wind damage we were free to set our own pace. We were experiencing our share of the wind as it blew gusts of dirt and sand at us. At times the front end of the trike tried to change directions and we took that as a warning to slow down.
The East side of the mountain range.
     When we arrived at #120 we were relieved that there weren't any road blocks. At the edge of town we turned and headed West back toward 395 there was a dust storm that reminded me of a zero visibility snow storm, fortunately we were soon thru it and on the way. The trip up the mountain was full of spectacular views and hairpin corners. It was great.  When we reached the mountain plateau we were treated to relatively gently curving roads following the contour of the land. We seemed to be the only ones on the road and found that 82 mph was the perfect speed, It allowed You to hit the apex of the rise without the tires actually leaving the road as the frame and stomach reached its highest point without a catastrophe and then down we went tires and bladder sustaining maximum pressure. If we would have had more time we would have turned around and did it again.

   


Ruthie's sister Bonnie, Aunt Ruthie and Ruthie

A design flaw in the course, or
Perhaps intentional as a home
Course advantage sometimes the
ball hits the cement wall and ricochets back. 

     But we are off to Auburn. After about an hour we intersected back with 395 and headed back North, we got this licked. There was still plenty of wind to go around. I don't think we had gone ten miles when we arrived in Lee Vining CA and another road block. The friendly patrolman said the winds were so fierce it had turned over a motorhome and the wind had also caused two power lines to swing and arc together starting a fire.
   Bring out the map, then ride back to the road block, "we are going to Bridgeport. (not a lie, we planned on going thru it. ) Sorry the fire is before your destination. Back to the map, back to the roadblock, "how about if we turn right at #167 and head North East, "I can let you go that far, but I thought you said you were going to Bridgeport? "We will stop there next trip. "



 A private putting green in Uncle Norms backyard provided some
friendly competition.

     And away we went, Auburn here we come NE to Nevada hit Reno catch #80 heading West and we are there. It was dark and cold by the time we hit Sparks Nevada. Checking with a truck stop we found they were closing Interstate 80 going over Donner pass, the pineapple express that had brought rain and dust storms had brought snow to the mountains. We sought shelter for the evening. Saturday morning we checked the highway conditions and started out again. 36 degrees at the peak with snow on both sides. It was interesting to see the areas designated for installing and removing chains. We made it to Auburn by 11 AM stretching our 540 mile trip to 740 miles and more than 12 hours. It was wonderful seeing Ruthies relatives.  
Our stay of course was much to short. However the memories will ride with us and keep us warm.   The next morning we wisely set the GPS on Indio, even with an hour traffic jam we still made it home in 10 hours pulling into the ranch at 82 degrees. The ride was perfect.

As Ruthie likes to say at the end of a ride,
There we made a circle.